Always Learning New Things in PoE

CaptainLance9
30 Aug 202407:49

TLDRIn this Path of Exile lesson, the presenter explores the intricacies of the Bladefall skill, revealing that contrary to common belief, additional volleys can actually reduce damage output due to the spacing between volleys. The video also debunks the myth that reducing area of effect (AOE) with Conflux and Intensify increases hit overlap, showing it doesn't significantly impact single-target damage. This enlightening tutorial underscores the importance of experimenting with different skill setups to optimize damage, reminding players that there's always more to learn in PoE.

Takeaways

  • 🔍 The speaker is working on a Bladefall character in Path of Exile and has discovered something crucial about the skill's damage output.
  • 📊 A character with 100% poison chance and the Golden Rule helps the speaker measure the number of hits by reflecting poisons back to himself.
  • 🎯 The standard Bladefall with six volleys consistently hits four times, but with seven volleys, the hit count drops to three.
  • 📉 Having more volleys in Bladefall can actually reduce the number of hits, contrary to the speaker's initial belief.
  • 🤔 The speaker hypothesizes that additional volleys might spread out too much, reducing the chance of multiple volleys hitting the same target.
  • 🚫 The 20% quality on Bladefall, which adds an extra volley, seems to decrease damage by nearly half compared to the five-volley version.
  • 🌀 The hit count can vary depending on the distance from the enemy, affecting how the volleys overlap.
  • 💥 The speaker tests the myth of overlapping hits by using Conflux and Intensify, finding that it doesn't necessarily improve the number of hits.
  • 📦 Increasing the AOE size with Bladefall doesn't always result in more hits; it can sometimes even reduce them.
  • 🔄 The speaker concludes that additional volleys in Bladefall are detrimental to single-target DPS, especially when using Cascade.
  • 🌟 There's always something new to learn in Path of Exile, no matter how many times you play a character or use a skill.

Q & A

  • What is the main focus of the video transcript?

    -The main focus of the video transcript is to discuss the gameplay mechanics of the skill 'Bladefall' in the game Path of Exile, specifically how the number of volleys affects the damage dealt and the impact of additional game mechanics such as poison chance and area of effect (AOE) on the skill's performance.

  • What is the significance of the 'Golden Rule' in the context of the video?

    -The 'Golden Rule' is significant because it reflects poison back to the player, which is used to measure the number of hits on an enemy by observing the number of poisons procced onto the player.

  • Why does the player believe that more volleys in Bladefall is counterproductive?

    -The player finds that more volleys in Bladefall can lead to fewer hits on the same target due to the increased spacing between volleys, which reduces the likelihood of multiple volleys hitting the same enemy.

  • What is the player's discovery regarding the number of hits with different numbers of volleys in Bladefall?

    -The player discovers that Bladefall with six volleys consistently hits four times, while Bladefall with seven volleys (Bladefall of Volleys) hits only three times, and Bladefall with five volleys (Bladefall of Impaling) hits seven times.

  • How does the player suggest the game mechanics code additional volleys?

    -The player speculates that as more volleys are added, the game mechanics may space them out more, resulting in less overlap and fewer hits on the same target.

  • What is the player's conclusion about the 20% quality on Bladefall?

    -The player concludes that the 20% quality on Bladefall, which adds an additional volley, results in significantly less damage due to the reduced number of hits on the same target.

  • How does the player test the impact of different game mechanics on Bladefall?

    -The player tests the impact by observing the number of hits and comparing them across different scenarios, such as varying the number of volleys, using different skill gems, and adjusting the distance from the enemy.

  • What is the player's observation about the use of Conflux and Intensify with Bladefall?

    -The player observes that using Conflux and Intensify does not necessarily improve the number of overlapping hits with Bladefall, and in some cases, it may even reduce the number of hits.

  • Why does the player think reducing AOE might not be beneficial for Bladefall?

    -The player thinks reducing AOE might not be beneficial because it does not significantly increase the number of hits on the same target unless there is an extreme reduction in AOE, which would also negatively impact the ability to clear mobs.

  • What is the player's overall message about learning in Path of Exile?

    -The player's overall message is that there is always something new to learn in Path of Exile, no matter how many times you play or how much experience you have, and that game mechanics can work in unexpected ways.

Outlines

00:00

🗡️ Bladefall Mechanics and Damage Analysis

The speaker discusses their experience with creating a Bladefall character in Path of Exile and shares a crucial discovery about the skill's damage output. They explain how the number of volleys affects the number of hits on an enemy, which in turn impacts damage. The speaker uses a character with a 100% poison chance and the Golden Rule to measure hits. They found that Bladefall's standard six volleys consistently hit four times, but with Bladefall of Volleys (seven volleys), the hit count dropped to three. Interestingly, with five volleys (Bladefall without quality), they achieved seven hits. The speaker hypothesizes that additional volleys might spread out, reducing the chance of multiple volleys hitting the same target. This discovery challenges their previous belief that more volleys would increase damage output. The video also touches on the effect of distance from the enemy on hit count and how it varies with different numbers of volleys.

05:01

🔮 Debunking Myths about Bladefall and AOE

In the second paragraph, the speaker continues their analysis of Bladefall, focusing on the common belief that overlapping hits should be maximized by reducing the area of effect (AOE). They test this by applying intensity and conflux effects to Bladefall, aiming to condense the AOE. Contrary to expectations, they find that reducing the AOE does not necessarily increase the number of overlapping hits. In fact, in some cases, it can result in fewer hits compared to the non-congested effect. The speaker also points out that the belief in minimizing AOE for extra hits does not hold true for Bladefall unless there's an extreme reduction, which would compromise the ability to clear mobs. They conclude by emphasizing the importance of testing and learning in Path of Exile, as even experienced players can uncover new insights and strategies.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Bladfall

Bladfall is a skill in the game Path of Exile, which is a spell that fires multiple projectiles in a line. In the video, the presenter discusses the impact of different numbers of volleys on the skill's damage output. It's a central concept as the video explores the effectiveness of this skill in various scenarios.

💡Volleys

Volleys refer to the individual sets of projectiles fired by the Bladefall skill. The script mentions that increasing the number of volleys can actually decrease the number of hits on a single target, which is a key finding of the video.

💡Poison

Poison is a condition in Path of Exile that deals damage over time. The presenter uses a character with 100% chance to poison to measure the number of hits from Bladefall, as each hit inflicts poison, reflecting back to the character.

💡Golden Rule

Golden Rule is an item modifier that causes any poison applied to enemies to also be applied to the player. It's used in the video to count the number of hits by monitoring the number of poison instances reflected back to the player.

💡Quality

Quality in Path of Exile affects the performance of skills. The video discusses how different qualities of the Bladefall skill impact the number of hits and, consequently, the damage dealt.

💡Impale

Impale is a mechanic in Path of Exile where enemies can be impaled with spikes, dealing additional damage. The video contrasts Bladefall of Volleys with Bladefall of Impaling, noting that the latter has fewer volleys but compensates with an impale effect.

💡Cascade

Cascade is a notable passive skill in Path of Exile that increases the area of effect of skills. The script explores how Cascade affects the number of hits from Bladefall, suggesting that additional volleys can reduce damage when using Cascade.

💡DPS

DPS stands for Damage Per Second and is a measure of the damage output of a character or skill. The video is focused on understanding and improving DPS by analyzing the performance of the Bladefall skill.

💡Concentrated Effect

Concentrated Effect is a support gem in Path of Exile that reduces the area of effect of skills but increases the damage in that area. The video tests whether Concentrated Effect improves the number of hits from Bladefall, finding that it does not significantly affect the overlap of hits.

💡Intensify

Intensify is a support gem that chains a skill to nearby enemies. The presenter tests whether using Intensify with Bladefall increases the number of hits, but finds that it does not improve the overlap of hits as expected.

💡Agony Assassin

Agony Assassin is a character build in Path of Exile that focuses on dealing damage over time through poison and other conditions. The video mentions that the presenter is working on such a build, indicating the practical application of the findings about Bladefall.

Highlights

Exploring the nuances of the Bladefall skill in Path of Exile.

The importance of understanding how many times Bladefall hits an enemy.

The discovery that more volleys in Bladefall can actually reduce damage.

Comparing the hit counts between six, seven, and five volleys of Bladefall.

Regular Bladefall with six volleys consistently hitting four times.

Bladefall of Volleys with seven volleys surprisingly hitting fewer times.

Regular Bladefall with no quality and five volleys hitting seven times.

The potential coding mechanics behind the distribution of volleys.

The impact of additional volleys on damage output, potentially reducing it by half.

The variability of hit counts based on the distance from the enemy.

The myth of overlapping hits and the effectiveness of area of effect (AOE) reduction.

Testing the effectiveness of Conflux and Intensify on Bladefall's hit count.

The surprising finding that reducing AOE does not necessarily increase overlapping hits.

The practical implications for building a Bladefall character in Path of Exile.

The importance of testing and retesting skills to understand their mechanics fully.

The continuous learning process in Path of Exile, no matter how experienced a player is.

The upcoming video on building a cast and crit perfect Agony Assassin character.

The value of sharing and learning new strategies in the Path of Exile community.